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Mary Lou Ballweg

Mary Lou Ballweg is founder, president and executive director of the Endometriosis Association, the first organization in the world devoted to endometriosis.

Credited with “putting endometriosis on the map,” she has overseen development of extensive resources for patients, clinicians and scientists, including four books, multimillion dollar awareness campaigns, Endometriosis Awareness Month, worldwide affiliates, and literature in 31 languages.

With Karen Lamb, Ph.D., she established the first research registry in the world on endometriosis, now maintained at the NIH where Mary Lou collaborates on studies.

In 1992, she discovered a major causal link in endometriosis – namely, dioxin-research replicated and expanded upon worldwide. She has created research partnerships with the NIH and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and been instrumental in raising more than $27 million for research.